Indonesia Volcano Forces AirAsia to Cancel Flights

03Nov

AirAsia Airbus A320 planes are at the Soekarno-Hatta international airport, Tangerang

KUALA LUMPUR, KOMPAS.com – Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia said Tuesday it had cancelled flights to the Indonesian cities of Yogyakarta and Solo for the day due to the volcanic eruption of Mount Merapi. The volcano began erupting a week ago, forcing up to 50,000 people into temporary shelters, and on Monday spewed more heat clouds and ash.

“The flights… to Yogya and Solo have been cancelled only for November 2. We will update if there are any further developments,” an AirAsia spokeswoman told AFP, referring to four flights to the cities.

Searing grey fumes and ash shot high into the sky and rolled down the slopes of the 2,914-metre (9,616-foot) mountain, Indonesia’s most active volcano, on Monday, spreading fear and panic among nearby residents in central Java. Indonesia straddles major tectonic fault lines and has scores of active volcanoes, part of a region known as the “Ring of Fire” that circles the Pacific Ocean.